Car-coupling



(No Model.)

A. PRANTZ.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 469,340. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

i B] h N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMENDES FRANTZ, OF LEIIIGI'I, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,340, dated February 23, 1892. Application filed September 23, 1891. Serial No. 406,587. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itkn own that I, AMENDES FRANTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of- Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplers, and has for its object, first, the production of a carcoupling applicable to cars of various heights or altitudes, and, second, the production of simple and highly-efficient means for automatically effecting the lowering of the coup ling-pin upon entrance of the link in the draw-head.

The invention consists, primarily, in providing a draw-head with a yielding connection at its rear end and a yielding hearing or cushion, and a bail and crank-rods for effecting the lowering or depression ofsaid drawhead as against the action of said hearing or cushion.

The invention further cpnsists in apin-carrying bar pivoted at one end, an arm for raising said bar and carrying a pawl at its inner end, and also in the detail construction, com bination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of two adjoining draw-heads, the coupling-pin being lowered in one and raised in the other. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the draw-heads.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on theline 00 00, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a chambered draw-head having inner opposite spring-pressed sides a, and has its inner re duced end a extended through a cross-bar a of the car-frame and encircled bycoil-springs a which permit the draw-head to have a rearward and forward movement. This draw guide therefor. A bail C, pivotally held to the 1 car-frame, bears on the forward part or section of the draw-head over the yielding hearing or cushion, and the same has crank-handles d, by which it can be turned to force the draw-head down to suit a lower draw-head of an approaching car, the downward movement of the forward part of said draw-head being readily permitted by the pivotal connection between its parts or sections.

D is the coupling-pin, loosely secured to a bar E, which latter is pivoted between ears 6, secured to or forming part of the draw-head. A coil-spring 6, located between these ears, bears upwardly upon the end of bar E, tend ing to hold pin D lowered.

F is an arm pivotally hung by a shaft f, extended through projections of the draw-head, said shaft being provided with handled ends f. This arm extends down into the drawhead through an opening therein and its upper curved grooved end bears against and h ugs bar D. A pawl G is pivotally connected to the inner end of arm F by a knuckle-joint, and from said pawl extends a rod g, passed through an eye 9 of arm F, and against this eye bears a coil or spiral spring 9 which encircles rod 9 and is held by the outer bent end of the latter. The pawl G can be moved forward by the connecting-link, but not backward. 3y turning shaft f, causing arm F to occupy an approximately vertical position, the coupling-pin will be elevated. Upon entrance of a link into the draw-head the pawl is thrown backward and upward, causing the lowering of arm F and the coupling-pin.

The coupling and uncoupling can be per-- formed by hand; but it is preferable to operate the shaft f so as to raise the coupling-pin, I the lowering thereof being effected automatif cally.

I claim as my invention 1. A car-coupling having its draw-head formed in two parts or sections and provided with a yielding or elastic hearing or cushion,

which latter consists in a spring-held plate, upon which said draw-head rests, and a bail bearing on said draw-head over said cushion and having crank-handles, substantially as.

set forth.

. 2. The combination, with the "car-frame, of a jointed draw-head having an inner-reduced end, springs encircling said reduced end, the

U -shape bracket, the spring-pressed plate having forked ends guided by said bracket,

the plate supporting said b1'acket,-and the; bail having crank-handles, substantially as ling, comprising the draw-head, the bar pivand for the purpose set forth.

3. Theherein-describedimproved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head, the bar :pivotal-ly connected thereto aton e end, the spring bearing against the under side ofsaid 'bar, 1 the coupling-pin pivoted to the forward end of said bar, and-thearm pivoted in said drawhead and engaging said bar, substantially as set forth.

4. Theherein-describedimprovedcar-conpling, "comprisingthe draw-head, the :bar piv- 2 otedaton'e end and-carrying the coupling-- pin, the arm .pivotally secured in saiddrawhead, and the pawl pivoted to the inner end of said arm and adapted to be engaged by the coupling-link to trip said arm and bar and lower said pin, substantially as set forth.

5. The herein-described improved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head, the bar pivotally connected thereto at one end and carrying the coupling-pin at its other end, the arm extending down into said draw-head, the shaft upon which said arm is pivoted, having handled ends, and the pawl pivotally connected to said arm,substantially as set forth.

6. The herein-described improved car-coupling, comprising the draw-head, the bar pivotally connected thereto at one end, the coupling-pin, the pivoted arm extending down into said draw-head, the pawlpivoted thereto, and the spring-pressed rod extending from said ,pawl, substantially as set forth.

, 7. lheherein-desc'riloedimprovedca-r conpotal-ly connected t-heretoa't one end, the coupling-pin, the pivoted arm having an eye, the

pawl pivoted to said arm, the rod extending from said pawl through said eye,-and the v s pri n gen circling said rod and bearingagai-nst 

